PETE645_Chapter 8

Streamlines and Stream Functions
Definitions
Streamline: is a line in the fluid where tangent is everywhere parallel to the velocity field at any
given time.
A streamline is the locus of points that are everywhere tangential to the instantaneous velocity
vector.
If dl is an element of length along a streamline. The equation of a streamline is given by
dl  u  0
or
dl   u
where  is a scalar constant.
But
dl  dxi x  dyi y  dzi z

and
u  ux i x  u y i y  uz i z
dx  u x
dy  u y
dz  u z
Then,
dx dy dz
  
ux u y uz
For a 2D flow,
1
dx dy
 
ux u y
Implying that along any streamline,

ux dx  u y dy  0 . (8.1)
Notes
1. Two streamlines can not intersect each other except where u  0 .

2. By definition, no flow can cross a streamline. Thus, the velocity field must be solenoidal.
i.e .u  0 . This implies that,
 Flow is at steady state condition.
 No distributed sources and sinks can exist in the flow domain.
The Streamfunction
An equation that may describe such streamline in 2D flow maybe in the form;
    x, y  ,
where  is called streamfunction. When  is constant, the above equation describes a streamline.
The differential form (total differential) of the stream function must be zero along any stream.
 
d  dx  dy  0
x y
Comparing the above equation to (8.1), we have

ux  (8.2a)
y
and

uy   . (8.2b)
x
Equation (8.2) automatically satisfies the condition of zero divergence given by
 u  0 . (8.3)
Substituting Eq. (8.2) into Eq. 8.3 yields
d  ux dy  u y dx . (8.4)
Now, consider the streamlines in the figure below,
2
Notes
1. Streamlines are contour lines of constant  .
2. Each contour line refers to a velocity field.
3. While d  0 along any contour line, d  0 across two streamlines.
4. The difference in  between two streamlines is equal to the volumetric flow rate per unit
thickness, w.
Consider that the equation of the line connecting two streamlines is
y  mx  b , where
dy
m
dx
Then,
f  x, y   mx  b  y  0 .
f
Recall that n 
f
3
f    mx  b  y 
m 
f  mi x  i y   
 1
f  m 2  1
mi x  i y
n
m2  1
But,
n  nx i x  n y i y
Therefore,
m 1
nx  ; ny 
m2  1 m2  1
dy
dx 1
nx  ; ny 
2 2
 dy   dy 
   1   1
 dx   dx 
2
 dy 
Let a     1
 dx 
So that
u  n  u x nx  u y n y
m 1
un  ux  u y
a a
1  dy 
un 
1
a
 mux  u y    u x
a  dx
 uy 

But,
dl  dxi x  dyi y
 dx 
dl   
 dy 
2
 dy 
dl  dl   dx    dy   dx 1     adx
2 2
 dx 
4
From previous equation, we get
un 
1
dl
ux dy  u y dx 
u  ndl  u x dy  u y dx
u  ndl  d
2
 u  ndl 
l
 d
1
q
  2  1
w
Definitions
Streamline: This is a curve that is everywhere tangential to the local velocity vector at a given
instant. It is convenient to compute mathematically.
Pathline: This is the actual path travelled by an individual fluid particle over some period of time.
It is generated as a passage of time and conveniently generated experimentally.
Streakline: This is the locus of particles that have earlier passed through a prescribed point. It is
generated as a passage of time and conveniently generated experimentally.
Streamlines, pathlines, and streaklines are identical in a steady flow. In an unsteady flow, the
streamline pattern changes with time, whereas pathlines and streaklines are generated as the
passage of time.
5
The stream function and Vorticity
Recall that in 2D,
  
u x   y 
u  
u
  
y   
 x 
ix iy iz
  
Vorticity      u 
x y z
ux ux 0
In streamline simulation, we assume vorticity is zero.
 u y ux 
     iz
 x y 
  2  2 
    2  iz
 x y 
2
  2 i z
  2 i z  0
z  2  0
6
Irrotational Flow
When the flow is irritation, vorticity equals zero. Thus,
  u  0,
and
z  2  0 .
Thus, 2  0 so that we have a linear second order Laplace equation to solve for the
streamfunction  .
Note that the velocity field of an irrotational flow is said to be conservative.
The Velocity Potential

The velocity potential exists only for a conservative field. Thus, only when the fluid flow is
irritation can we compute the velocity potential.
We know that if
u  0 ,
then u will be the gradient of a scalar point function called the velocity potential .Thus we may
write
u   ,
where  is the velocity potential.

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PETE645_Chapter 8

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Streamlines and Stream Functions

dl  dxi x  dyi y  dzi z

Implying that along any streamline,

1. Two streamlines can not intersect each other except where u  0 .

Now, consider the streamlines in the figure below,

In streamline simulation, we assume vorticity is zero.

Note that the velocity field of an irrotational flow is said to be conservative.

The Velocity Potential

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